First Day Updates

I was going through my TpT store and looked at my First Day Guidebooks.  Oh, my!  They are need of some updating.  Those were one first resources I uploaded to TpT, and they were newly created resources.  Needless to say they need updating.  For starters I finally listened to my mom and now create resources in PowerPoint instead of Word.  I've started to update my guidebooks to a fillable powerpoint.  It will take some time.  I started with a basic school kids and superhero.  

I no longer do themes in my classroom, but do more of a color scheme.  Right now I have bright colors with black. 

I realize some teachers still do themes.  I understand I just personally need a break.  I would like to update my theme books.  So I'm wondering what themes teachers are interested in and start from there.  I will definitely be limiting my themes.  I can't update them all this summer and still have a relaxing summer for myself. 

Super Kids First Day Guidebook

Please comment below for your suggestions on themes. 

At the end of every school year I reflect on what I need to improve and/or work on during the summer.  If you are like me I usually have a long list of things I want to do that don't get accomplished before heading back to set up the classroom.  I swear every summer goes by faster and faster.  

This year I am determined to enjoy my summer, but still get some of my "wish list" of items accomplished.  My number one thing is to work on classroom management.  After a few days off from school I started reading some posts on one of the 2nd grade Facebook pages I belong too.  Not sure which one I got this idea from I do belong to a few of them.  

Anyway have you heard of the book What Should Danny Do?  By Ganit & Adir Levy.  If you are not familiar with it is a book that as you read you make a choice and you go to a certain page.  The story has 9 different endings depending on the choice that was made.  How cool is that!  

Of course I just had to get this book.  It arrived in a few days.  Nicely wrapped and even included a note.  Just love the personal touch.  

https://www.whatshoulddannydo.com

Not sure if this code still works, but it is worth a try for $4 off.

Code:  teachersrule

Speaking of notes.  I have added a freebie to my store.  Kindness notes.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Positive-Take-Home-Notes-for-Students-3193492
You can click on my TpT sidebar on the left to go straight to the freebie.  

Working on some new additions to be done in the next week or two.  First picture is of a modified clip chart based on a growth mindset.  

Second picture is of student self - assessment rubric charts.  

I'm back!  That is the plan.  It's been a rough last couple of years for me and my blog an TpT have been put on the back burner.

My last day of school is this Friday.  My plan is to get back to blogging and creating activities/lessons for teachers.  

Need some advice.  Since my last blogging days I know many teachers have updated blogs.  My question has one updated their blog and have any recommendations?  

Another question  I am thinking of changing my store/blog name as well.  I need a new start.  Any suggestions?  I still teach 2nd, love sports, and an animal lover if that helps.

Would love it if anyone had any advice.  It will take some time to update products, but I'm looking for a challenge.  

:) Sandy

TPT Sale Extended

Due to problems with the TPT website yesterday, TPT has extended their sale.  My entire store is still on sale as well.  Thank-you TPT!  

Happy Shopping!

Teacher Appreciation Week

Twenty more wake up days to summer vacation.  I can't wait for summer.  This has been a very stressful year with a new language arts series and flexible grouping for math for the very first time. 

 On a brighter note I'm sure many of you have already heard about the Teacher Appreciation Sale going on at TPT this Tues. and Wed.  My entire store will be 20 % off and you can get an additional 10% off with the code TPTXO.

Here are some other Teacher Appreciation deals going on this week.

Chipotle- What can I say?  This is one of my favorite places to eat.  If you have a Chipotle by you click on the image below for more information.  Just bring in your valid school id to take advantage of this offer.  

Have you been wanting an Erin Condren planner?  This might be a good time to pick one up.  Teachers can save 25%.

I hope you have a wonderful Teacher Appreciation Week! 

landform and measurement ideas

Spring weather has finally arrived in Chicago!  Last week we were on spring break and even enjoyed an 80 degree day!  Almost made you forget about our long  cold and snowy winter.    Of course when we went back to work this past Monday it was cold and rainy.   It even snowed for a bit one day this past week.  Like the saying goes if you don't like the weather in Chicago wait 5 minutes and it will change.  

Before spring break we had a math/science Open House.  I just wanted to share some of things that we had on display in our classroom.  With all the stress of MAP testing and students meeting their goals, implementing a new language arts series, and flexible grouping for the first time as a grade level it has definitely been a stressful year.  Unfortunately I feel like we don't have time to do the fun things anymore with the students.  So with Open House I wanted to put some fun back into learning.  I had found this idea on Pinterest (Don't know who the original idea came from; if I find out I will give credit to that person.)  We  have been studying landforms in science so I had the students create landforms from clay.

I did change it up a bit from the idea on Pinterest.  I used paper plates from Target instead of painting.  I just made one cut on each of the paper plates and put them together to form the water and land.  Each student had to make a glacier, island, lake, pond, volcano, mountain, and hill.  Turned out to be a great hands on project and the students were able to identify the landforms.

The second project didn't quite come out like we had expected.  We went through our science funds to purchase seeds, pots,  and soil.  By the time we got the supplies it was just a short few days before the Open House and we had gotten small individual cups.  They were just too tiny and I didn't feel like using them so I improvised and used some extra book boxes instead.  The purpose of this was to have students measure the grass and flowers that grew.  As you can tell we didn't get much growth.

As you can tell we didn't get much growth within the week.  I had lined the whole book box with grass seeds in hopes of getting some growth.  Next year I know to just purchase things on my own and start a little earlier.  I have done this before and it is a great hands on activity to use in your measurement unit.  Plus the students love to watch things grow.  

Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend.

Happy Easter! 

Leprechaun Traps

On Friday, our second graders brought in their Leprechaun Traps to set on their desks in hopes of catching a leprechaun tomorrow morning.  Every year I am impressed with the creative of some of our second graders.  My favorite (not in the video)  was a large green laundry basket.  Inside this laundry basket was a female leprechaun.  This one came from another class I wish I had the picture of it.  

This is my first attempt at posting a video to my blog.  It was also my first slideshow video I made on my computer.  So I hope this works out.  I really wanted to share this with my parents.

Well I do hope it worked.  I tried to preview the video before posting but it said no preview available.  If not I will have to post actual pictures tomorrow.  

Happy St. Patrick's Day!